NEWS
Jul 02, 2009 - CLIMATE POLICY REPORT
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humankind today. Its global scope and multigenerational scale make it uniquely daunting. The United States is the world’s largest consumer of hydrocarbons and one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and, thus, must play a key role in any global effort to reduce GHGs. American scientists have been at the forefront of the emerging scientific consensus on the human role in climate change, and U.S. policymakers, politicians, academics, and the media have been struggling in recent years to fashion a concrete response. The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University held two major conferences on climate change research and policies. The two conferences provided a forum for speakers and other participants to share their individual views on what a U.S. climate policy should look like. This report is based on the proceedings of these conferences and draws heavily on presentation materials and relevant points raised during the meetings. Related Research: Related Events: Beyond Science: the Economics and Politics of Responding to Climate Change Conference 
Beyond Science: The Economics and Politics of Responding to Climate Change
Conference
December 15, 2008
Jun 16, 2009 - Baker Institute Energy Forum interns build sustainable garden in Houston's Fifth Ward
This summer, three Baker Institute Energy Forum interns are headed to Africa to help develop energy solutions that improve lives in developing countries. The Lesotho Sustainability Assessment Project (LSAP), funded by the Baker Institute Energy Forum and Rice 360º, aims to develop integrated, multidisciplinary approaches to sustainable development, including improved energy efficiency, air and water quality, and adaptation strategies for climate change that can be implemented at the community level. In preparation for their summer internship in Lesotho, student interns Mark Hoffman, Kelley Liao and Margaret Murphy helped build a model "keyhole" garden at the Julia C. Hester House, a Houston-based organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of lives in the Fifth Ward and the surrounding community. Keyhole gardens, named for their appearance from above, conserve water and maximize yields, effectively extending the growing season year-round. This will be the second summer that LSAP has built keyhole gardens in Lesotho.
Jun 09, 2009 - RUSSIA AND THE CASPIAN STATES
Russia’s position as a major energy supplier has great significance not only for its foreign policy but for its relationships with major energy-consuming countries. The nature of Russia’s future geopolitical role in world energy markets has become a major concern of international energy security with important implications for Europe, Japan and the United States. Given a range of economic and geopolitical uncertainties, the fate of Russian and Caspian natural gas exports remains a major risk factor in global energy supply. For this study, researchers examined several scenarios for Russian and Caspian oil and natural gas production, possible export routes, and the geopolitics involved. The Baker Institute Energy Forum thanks its sponsors and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, for their generous support.
Jun 09, 2009 - LATIN AMERICAN ENERGY
The dramatic decline in oil prices from a high of $150 per barrel in July 2008 to the $35-$45 range caught the world by surprise. In Latin America, a number of oil and gas producers had structured economic and political strategies on the supposition that extremely high oil prices were here to stay. The region’s subsequent failure to produce proportionately to its resource endowments may keep energy prices higher than necessary in the future, potentially dampening the global economic recovery when it begins. The challenges raised by the weak energy and capital markets were the focus of a February 2009 conference at the Baker Institute, co-sponsored by the institute’s Energy Forum and Latin American Initiative as well as the Washington, D.C.-based Council of the Americas.
Jun 09, 2009 - STEM CELL POLICY
Kirstin Matthews, Baker Institute fellow in science and technology policy, has compiled a helpful list of frequently asked questions and answers to help readers learn the basics about stem cell science and policy. Matthews heads up the Baker Institute International Stem Cell Policy Program, which brings together scientists, ethicists, policymakers, media experts, and community and business leaders to find new ways to engage the general public in a dialogue on these vital issues. One of the program's highlights is “Stem Cells: Saving Lives or Crossing Lines,” a series of international conferences, major public policy research and publications, and workshops to bring together scholars and scientists from the international community.
May 11, 2009 - U.S.-MEXICO BORDER
Baker Institute Policy Report 38, "Developing the U.S.-Mexico Border Region for a Prosperous and Secure Relationship," aims to aid policymakers in forging stronger and sustainable U.S.-Mexico bilateral relations with the use of more creative approaches to border issues. Sponsored by the Baker Institute, this study investigates the important role of border institutions, civil society, cross-border transnational populations, and localized, small-scale problem-solving as a first defense against the deteriorating conditions at the border — be they humanitarian, economic or security-related. Coordinated by Erika de la Garza, program director of the Baker Institute’s Latin American Initiative, and David Mares, Baker Institute Scholar for Energy Studies, the report includes findings from nine binational research papers. Commissioned by the Baker Institute, the papers analyze a number of topics relevant to the border’s future, including the social and economic burden that migration places on border communities on both sides, the impact of inadequate physical and human infrastructure at the border, and the need for collaborative efforts to combat organized crime. By examining these important components of border relations and making policy recommendations, the report hopes to shed light on the building blocks for more constructive dialogue and policies that will enhance U.S.-Mexico relations.
May 06, 2009 - RUSSIA AND THE CASPIAN STATES IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY BALANCE
Russia’s position as a major energy supplier has great significance not only for its foreign policy but for its relationships with major energy-consuming countries. The nature of Russia’s future geopolitical role in world energy markets has become a major concern of international energy security with important implications for Europe, Japan and the United States. Given a range of economic and geopolitical uncertainties, the fate of Russian and Caspian natural gas exports remains a major risk factor in global energy supply. For this study, researchers examined several scenarios for Russian and Caspian oil and natural gas production, possible export routes, and the geopolitics involved. Click here to Read More about the Russia Energy Study Research Protocol...
By Peter Hartley and Kenneth B. Medlock III By Martha Brill Olcott and Nikolai Petrov By Martha Brill Olcott By Amy Myers Jaffe and Martha Brill Olcott By Lilia Shevtsova By Stacy Closson coming soon! By Xiaojie Xu coming soon! By Joe Barnes and Lauren A. Smulcer By Jareer Elass and Amy Myers Jaffe About the Study
Publications
Baker Institute Policy Report 39 on Russia and the Caspian StatesRelated Events
Secretary James A. Baker, III, by H.E. Alexander A. Bessmertnykh, and Edward Morse
- Washington, DC - May 7, 2009Study Working Papers
Scenarios for Russian Natural Gas Exports: The Role of Domestic Investment, the Caspian, and LNG Russia's Regions and Energy Policy in East Siberia Russia, Central Asia, and the Caspian - How Important is the Energy and Security Trade-off? The Future of the Russian Oil Industry The Medvedev Presidency: Russia's Direction and the Implications for Foreign Policy Central Asian Energy Relations: Evaluating the Impact of Informal Dynamics on Formal Arrangements China's Policies towards Energy Supplies from Russia and Central Asia Emerging U.S. Policy toward Russia The History & Politics of Russia's Relations with OPEC
May 05, 2009 - GOLD MEDAL
The Association of Rice Alumni (ARA) has awarded its top honor to Edward P. Djerejian, founding director of the Baker Institute, and Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology policy, for their contributions to the Rice University community. Djerejian and Lane will receive the ARA Gold Medal, which recognizes Rice alumni, faculty, staff or friends who have rendered extraordinary service to the university. Each recipient has demonstrated outstanding service in promoting the ideals of the founder of the university; unusually deep dedication to and advancement of the academic excellence of the university; and uncommon generosity of time and means in support of the university. Established in 1937, the Association of Rice Alumni's laureates program recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of outstanding Rice alumni and friends of the university.
Apr 21, 2009 - OPINIONS AND MORE
Please check this page periodically for new publications by Baker Institute fellows and scholars. Commentaries The Houston Chronicle recently ran a number of op-eds/editorials highlighting Baker Institute expertise. Interviews La Voz de Houston, the Spanish-language supplement to the Chronicle, recently interviewed Erika de la Garza, program director of the Baker Institute's Latin American Initiative. Blogs Opposing Views Baker Institute fellows Ken Medlock and Bill Martin were recently guests on Opposing Views, Inc., a Web site that provides experts from opposing sides of an issue with space to present and support their views in a point/counterpoint format. Contributors and visitors can post comments. Please click here to visit the Opposing Views Web site. Ken Medlock, “Should the U.S. Allow Offshore Oil Drilling?” Bill Martin, “Is the U.S. a Christian Nation?” Bill Martin, "Should Religious Symbols be Displayed on Public Property?" Bill Martin, "Should Cities Fund Needle Exchange Programs?" SciFi's "How You Can Save the World" Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology at the Baker Institute and Malcolm Gillis University Professor at Rice University, is featured as a contributor to SCI FI's new online blog, "How You Can Save the World." This forum of thinkers gathers individuals from the arts, sciences, entertainment, government, technology and other fields to discuss the challenges we face to day, as well as proposing potential solutions. Learn more about "How You Can Save the World" here.
Vivian Ho, Ph.D., James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics and Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine
Christopher Bronk, Ph.D., Fellow in Technology, Society and Public
Policy; Dan Castro, Senior Analyst, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; and Dan Wallach,
Associate Professor of Computer Science and Associate Professor of
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University
Joan Neuhaus Schaan, Fellow in Homeland Security and Terrorism
Ronald Sass, Ph.D., Fellow in Global Climate Change
Christopher Bronk, Ph.D., Fellow in Technology, Society and Public Policy; Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D., James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Studies; and Dan Wallach, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University
Joe Barnes, Bonner Means Baker Fellow
The Houston Chronicle editorial board
Joan Neuhaus Schaan, Fellow in Homeland Security and Terrorism
William Martin, Ph.D., Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy
Kirstin Matthews, Ph.D., Fellow in Science and Technology Policy
Baker Institute contributors:
Mar 30, 2009 - New Baker Institute Fellow Hanan Ashrawi Discusses Middle East Prospects
After long
years of failed policies, Palestine and Israel are no closer to peace. What is
required is a change in the tone and direction of negotiations, Baker Institute
scholar Hanan Ashrawi said. A real “peace initiative” should replace the
discredited “peace process.” “We need a new
approach,” Ashrawi told a capacity audience at the James Baker Institute for
Public Policy on Tuesday, March 24.
While the appointment of former U.S. senator and Irish peace negotiator George
Mitchell as U.S. envoy to the Middle East is “a good sign,” time will tell if
he has the “mandate and the power” to make a difference, she said. What she characterized as Israel’s
“political shift to hard line extremism” and ongoing divisions in the
Palestinian government will make the pursuit of peace “that much more
difficult,” she added. Ashrawi, a well-known Palestinian activist, legislator and scholar, was
named the institute’s Diana Tamari Sabbagh Fellow in Middle Eastern Studies.
She served as the official spokesperson for the Palestinian delegation to the
Madrid Peace Conference negotiations in 1991. In 1996 she was appointed
Minister of Higher Education in the Palestinian Authority. Dr. Ashrawi will be
preparing a Baker Institute policy paper on the roots and future prospects of
Palestinian democracy. Ashrawi said that from the start, a major
impediment to peace has been an “asymmetry of power, the imbalance between the
occupied and occupier.” “We always asked for accountability for Israel as an occupying power and
protection for the Palestinians as people under occupation, which of course we
never got,” she said. Israel acted
with impunity, she contended, “building settlements, taking land,” and “bomb[ing]
and abduct[ing] at will.” For its part, the United States
“always brought to bear its strategic alliance with Israel,” Ashrawi said. “By
no stretch of the imagination can you ever accuse the U.S. of being even-handed
when it comes to the peace process.” Years of violence and strife have
reduced Palestine to “a charity case” in need of emergency relief, she said. “We
need positive constructive engagement by a third party” to ensure Palestinian
statehood is achieved, she added. The Obama
administration must “distance itself from the disastrous policies of the past
immediately,” she said. Further,
“the time has come to consider U.N. involvement … It’s an international
responsibility. We didn’t create this mess and the Israelis and Palestinians
alone cannot solve it because we’re not even.” Ashrawi expressed concern that the possibility of a two-state solution
is disappearing, and called it a “major strategic shortcoming. This is
something that has to be addressed seriously.” In
the meantime, Palestine stands as a “visible, concrete expression of an ongoing
injustice,” she said. “Solving the Palestinian question is key to solving most
of the problems in the region.”
Mar 13, 2009 - BAKER INSTITUTE REPORT 33
The Baker Institute Report is a biannual publication that reviews events and news from the Baker Institute and its fellows. Report 33 features the institute's 15th anniversary gala event, including then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's keynote address, as well as conferences held by the Energy Forum, the Latin American Initiative, the Science and Technology Policy Program and others. There is also a Q&A with Steve Lewis, the Baker Institute's fellow in Asian studies, and updates on the student internship program and Baker Institute Student Forum.
Mar 13, 2009 - BLOGS
Baker Institute fellows Ken Medlock, Bill Martin and Neal Lane blog on issues that reflect their expertise. Opposing Views Opposing Views, Inc., has created a Web site that fosters and facilitates informed debate on pressing issues in politics, society, health, money and religion. The organization seeks out credible and established experts from opposing sides of question and provides a space for them to present and support their views on the given issue in a point/counterpoint format. Contributors can respond to the opposing argument, pointing out misconceptions or misinformation. The site also allows visitors to comment on arguments and initiate discussion with the contributing writers. Please click here to visit the Opposing Views Web site. Ken Medlock, “Should the U.S. Allow Offshore Oil Drilling?” Bill Martin, “Is the U.S. a Christian Nation?” Bill Martin, "Should Religious Symbols be Displayed on Public Property?" Bill Martin, "Should Cities Fund Needle Exchange Programs?" SciFi's "How You Can Save the World" Neal Lane, senior fellow in science and technology at the Baker Institute and Malcolm Gillis University Professor at Rice University, is featured as a contributor to SCI FI's new online blog, "How You Can Save the World." This new forum of thinkers gathers individuals from the arts, sciences, entertainment, government, technology and other fields to discuss the challenges we face to day, as well as proposing potential solutions. Blog posts and updates from Lane will be featured on this page. To learn more about "How You Can Save the World," click here. Contributions by Neal Lane: July 7, 2008: The Danger (and Value) of A Politicized Scientific Community Nov. 3, 2008: The Next Presidency Will Test the Scientific Community, Too
Among the experts featured on the Opposing Views Web site are Baker Institute fellows and scholars. Please check back for new postings and updates on fellows’ contributions.
Baker Institute contributors:
Mar 03, 2009 - Stem Cell Researcher Encourages Advocacy, Education to Improve Policy
When British stem cell researchers found themselves hampered by government regulations, they went to Parliament for help — and got a surprisingly warm reception. The result was new, improved regulations that empowered scientists to advance their work in a less-restrictive manner. Stephen Minger, a leading human embryonic stem cell researcher, recalled the experience during a lecture at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Feb. 6. He said the experience surpassed the expectations of many scientists, who had hoped, at best, to merely educate British politicians about the research. The lesson learned was that collaboration between scientists, combined with efforts to educate policymakers, is crucial in overcoming negative perceptions and fears associated with this relatively new field of science, he said. "If you believe in it, you have to do it," said Minger, director of the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory and senior lecturer at the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases at King’s College London. He urged other scientists to step forward and fight for better legislation when needed. In his lecture, "The New Consensus: How Scientists and Government Created New Embryo Legislation in the United Kingdom," Minger emphasized that the constraints U.K. researchers faced during the early days of stem cell research were due to strict regulations implemented by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which monitors human embryo research in the United Kingdom. The inhibitory nature of those regulations prompted researchers to take action and promote legislation that would allow for the creation and use of animal-human embryos in the hopes of expanding scientific practices. The main objective of the researchers was to use stem cells from the embryos as a means to understand and develop tools for human disease, such as for therapeutic purposes and drug discovery. Minger described the cohesive strength of the scientific community in its fight in Parliament to pass a bill that would permit hybrid embryo research. Much of the controversy surrounding hybrid stem cell research was based on objections by religious groups and a deeply rooted public fear of genetically created embryos combining animal and human cells. By educating legislators on the subject and highlighting the importance of this research on future studies, researchers managed to acquire the support of even the most conservative politicians. The bill that was passed included defined terms and regulations on how the embryos could be used. Minger's lecture was sponsored by the Baker Institute’s Science and Technology Policy Program with support from the state of Qatar and its emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, through the State of Qatar Endowment for International Stem Cell Policy. Funding was also provided by the U.K. Science & Technology Section; British Consulate-General, Houston; and the Texas/U.K. Collaborative. View a webcast of Minger's Feb. 6 lecture. Visit the U.K. Human Fertilisation and Embrology Authority's Web site.
Feb 20, 2009 - STEM CELL POLICY
In this Feb. 15, 2009, opinion piece published in the Houston Chronicle, Kirstin Matthews, Baker Institute fellow and program manager of the Science and Technology Policy Program, urges President Obama to develop a broader, comprehensive policy to ensure stem cell research is conducted in a responsible, thoughtful and ethical manner. She also advocates a more active role by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Specifically, she supports the creation of an Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) board within the NIH to controversial research and recommend policies for the agency. Matthews also advocates a ban on any effort to clone a human being, saying that such cloning has been denounced by scientists and policymakers around the world. She encourages the new administration to empower and utilize the resources of the NIH and the President's Council on Bioethics to maintain the United States' global leadership role in scientific research.
Feb 04, 2009 - BAKER INSTITUTE CO-HOSTS THIRD INTERNATIONAL SPACE MEDICINE SUMMIT
EVENT INFORMATION You might find the following items of
interest: Read about the live videoconference with researchers on Mount Everest (news item)
Learn about last year's International Space Medicine Summit (event information)
Feb 04, 2009 - BAKER INSTITUTE FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS OFFER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
You might find the following items of
interest: All of the recommendation papers are available as a single document (download PDF - 3.8 MB)
The Baker Institute named one of the top 30 U.S.
think tanks (view news story)
Baker Institute fellows discuss policy issues in science and technology (view video)
Feb 04, 2009 - ENERGY, POLICY AND POLITICS: THE CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE IN LATIN AMERICA
You might find the following items of
interest: Learn more about the Baker Institute's Latin American Initiative (about the program)
Learn more about the Baker Institute Energy Forum (about the program)
Feb 03, 2009 - Baker Institute researchers examine regulatory requirements for heart procedures
States that dropped regulations overseeing the performance of two common heart procedures showed no increase in death rates, according to research conducted by Baker Institute researchers. The regulations, known as "certificate of need" or CON, require hospitals to obtain approval from a designated state agency before adding new facilities or offering especially costly services. “We found no overall increase in mortality rates for bypass or percutaneous procedures after states dropped the regulations,” said Vivian Ho, James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. “Trends in mortality rates for these procedures were similar across states, whether or not they maintained cardiac certificate of need.” Percutaneous procedures are more commonly known as angioplasty. In addition to Ho, Meei-Hsiang Ku-Goto of the Baker Institute and James G. Jollis of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Duke University Medical Center co-authored the study, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Their research was published in the journal Health Services Research.
Jan 27, 2009 - PUBLIC WELFARE MEDAL
The National Academy of Sciences has awarded the prestigious Public Welfare Medal for 2009 to Neal Lane, the Baker Institute's senior fellow in science and technology policy and the Malcolm Gillis University Professor at Rice University. Established in 1914, the medal is presented annually to honor the extraordinary use of science for public good. Lane was chosen for his many years of service to the scientific community in a number of leadership roles, as well as for his continuing efforts to advance and promote science and technology in the United States. Previous medal recipients include William T. Golden and Carl Sagan. Read the Rice News article about Neal Lane's award.
Jan 15, 2009 - C-SPAN2's Book TV Highlights "Danger and Opportunity"
The Honorable Edward P. Djerejian, founding director of the Baker Institute, appeared on the C-SPAN2's Book TV program "Viewpoint with James Zogby" to talk about his recent book and the current situation in the Middle East. View the interview here. During the program, which aired Jan. 8, 2009, Djerejian took calls from viewers from around the world. Djerejian has served as a U.S. diplomat under eight presidents, going back to John F. Kennedy, including as U.S. ambassador to Syria and Israel. His book "Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador's Journey Through the Middle East" (Simon & Schuster Threshold Editions, September 2008) provides personal narratives from Djerejian's experiences in the Middle East, as well as policy recommendations for the future. More information about the book is provided here. James Zogby is the founder and president of the Arab American Institute. A lecturer and scholar on Middle East issues and U.S.-Arab relations, Zogby interviews today's policymakers and engages callers from around the world. His one-on-one interviews are seen by millions of people in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and North America."Viewpoint" airs live on Abu Dhabi TV and LinkTV.
